1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an automatic mounting/dismounting method and apparatus for an image display device in which a cathode ray tube assembly is automatically mounted/dismounted onto/from a process line for checking and correcting a tilt of an image display device like cathode ray tube assembly.
2. Background Art
Generally, an image display device, for example, a cathode ray tube, is for monitoring 1s various image signals and has to undergo some checking and adjustment during manufacture to correctly display the image signals received by the display device. The checking of the relative position of the cathode ray tube versus the front housing, also referred to as the tilt of the display device, is usually checked while the display device is being conveyed along a conveyor belt on a pallet. Some techniques for conveying objects using conveyor belt systems are shown, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,680,925 to Gallagher entitled Conveyor Belt Lift Apparatus, U.S. Pat. No. 5,829,942 to Beers entitled Apparatus for Loading and Unloading Circuit Boards Along a Conveyor System, U.S. Pat. No. 5,727,669 to Rich, Jr. entitled Method and Apparatus for Transferring Pallletized Loads, U.S. Pat. No. 5,547,069 to Pritchard entitled Modular Cargo Drive Unit for a Conveyor, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,607,282 to Brannen entitled Depalletizing and Dispensing Apparatus and Method.
The cathode ray tube and the front case are adjusted to have the proper relative positioning, or tilt, prior to the attachment of the front case to the cathode ray tube. Unfortunately, however, the relative position often needs further adjustment before the front housing and the cathode ray tube are further secured to each other. To test the relative position of the cathode ray tube and the front housing, a worker removes the display device from the conveyor belt and checks the tilt of the monitor and makes the necessary adjustments. Afterwards, the worker places the monitor back on the conveyor belt. Disadvantages of requiring a worker to remove the cathode ray tube to check the Is tilt of a display device include requiring a worker to manually move the display device to check the tilt, the increased risk incurred of damage to the cathode ray tube during the manual carrying of the monitor by the worker, and the increased number of workers required to accurately test a large production line of monitors.
As such, I believe it may be possible to improve on the contemporary art by providing a device and a method for engaging and disengaging a display device from a conveyor belt that eliminates the need for manual transportation of the monitor by the worker, that allows a worker to test the tilt of a monitor. that allows a worker to adjust the tilt of the monitor, and that increases the efficiency of display device manufacture.